LAWAS: An elderly fisherman, who was reported missing at sea in Sundar last Thursday (August 14), was found dead off the coast of Labuan two days later.
The victim, identified as Assan Osman, 65, had gone out alone in a boat to catch prawns and fish in the waters of Gusu, Sundar, but failed to return home.
Concerned for his safety, his wife asked one of their sons and several villagers to search for him.
They only managed to find his boat adrift in Sundar waters at around 5:30 pm.
The victim’s son-in-law later lodged a missing person’s report at the police station at 7:20 pm.
The Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) said a search and rescue (SAR) operation was launched by firefighters from Lawas with assistance from the police, Civil Defence Force (APM), Sarawak Coast Guard and Lawas District Marine Fisheries Office.
On Saturday, Labuan police alerted the authorities here that a body had been found floating along the Labuan coastline at around 3:15 pm.
The body was later confirmed by family members to be that of the missing fisherman.
A post-mortem will be held at Labuan Hospital, while the SAR operation was officially called off by Lawas police at 11:30 am today.
